Wreck legislation

[Mike Rowley]

At the Plymouth wreck conference at the weekend leaflets were circulated concerning two Governmental review groups that are currently looking at wreck legislation. These groups have been formed by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. One group is looking at salvage law, the other at wreck designation and protection.

Among the propsals being considered it is aleged that the following are on the table;

1 All wrecks over 50 years old to be designated as historic wrecks and protected as such.

2 Mandatory that divers report all items or wrecks they find to the government

3 Salvage awards to be abolished

4 A massive extension of the number of Designated sites and protected wrecks under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 to include any wreck that involved any loss of life, whether military or merchant seaman.

The leaflet also stated that the DCM&S will not allow any representation on these working groups from the Diving organisations.

Has anyone heard anything about this?

Cheers

Mike

[Paul Brown]

Mike,

I think this is what you are looking for:

http://www.culture.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyr...Membership.pdf

And this for further information:

http://www.culture.gov.uk/historic_e...tion_review/#2

Worrying....

Paul

www.croydonbsac.com

[Mike Rowley]

[quote]

Originally Posted by Paul Brown

Mike,

I think this is what you are looking for:

http://www.culture.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyr...Membership.pdf

And this for further information:

http://www.culture.gov.uk/historic_e...tion_review/#2

Worrying....

Paul

Thanks Paul, it looks like a very one sided process. Stand by for a blanket ban on all wreck diving enforced by GPS monitoring devices on all boats, meanwhile the fishing industry will contiue to be allowed to plough the sea bed regardless.

New Labours police state marches on! All divers will be arrested and sent for re-education!

Very scary.

Mike

[Wills]

There was a parliamentary written question today:

Question 87 - Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will nominate a member of the British Sub-Aqua Club to sit on the Marine Historic Review Working Group; if she will meet representatives of the Club to discuss the progress of the working group; and if she will make a statement.

Maybe someone has flagged this up before?

[David Walker]

Originally Posted by Mike Rowley

The leaflet also stated that the DCM&S will not allow any representation on these working groups from the Diving organisations.

Doesn't sound a very democratic process to me - specifically exclude those who represent the interests of those who may be affected by the decision.

No doubt this is so that they can all agree that divers are all reckless and will destroy everything they see... without having someone getting in the way telling them what divers are really like (well, most of them anyway... )

David

[Paul Oliver]

Looks like its encouraging private boats with no radar reflectors to go out without using the SOLAS 5 procedures to dive a wreck? 'cos its still gonna happen.

[Mike Rowley]

Anthony Steen is my MP. I imagine one of the South West Nautial Archeology Group has contacted him, probably Neville Odham.

I do know that BSAC submitted a response to the consutative document in 2004 as did PADI and SAA. However, the worrying part of this is that no diving organisations are allowed in this review stage, only representatives of governement agencies and archeologists. No chance of any ballance at all.

Cheers

Mike

[johnkendall]

Hi Guys,

This thread on YD http://www.yorkshire-divers.co.uk/fo...d=1#post394784

I'd suggest as many people as possible do get in touch with their MPs on this matter.

J

[ahar]

From the website, it seems that the committee is still in the stages of reviewing the submissions and deciding what to recommend. I would question the accuracy of any 'leaflets' without actually speaking to a memberr of the committee. Also, committee reccomendations are simply that - reccomendations. If the government finds them unpalatable or polically inconvienent they will be ignored.

This is a democratic process - basically the committee makes recommendations and then we (the public or special interest groups such as ourselves) can then speak to their MP or write to the DCMS directly to comment on their proposals. Even if they decide to do what is written in the leaflet there is likely to be a Green Paper produced before anything in concrete.

[Mike Rowley]

This is a democratic process - basically the committee makes recommendations and then we (the public or special interest groups such as ourselves) can then speak to their MP or write to the DCMS directly to comment on their proposals. Even if they decide to do what is written in the leaflet there is likely to be a Green Paper produced before anything in concrete.

[/quote]

I think you may find that this will not need either a green or white paper. The primary legislation is already in place in the form of the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 and the Protection of Historic Wrecks Act 1973. This legislation can be enacted using a stutory instrument which doesn't even require a vote in the Commons, merely the signature of the minister. This has been the favoured method of:mad this government.

Cheers

Mike